Combining Motorbike Touring with Training

With Richard and Jason, we headed from home out to Stroud which is a town quite close-by but never visited. Funny how often these places are so close but we never get round to visiting.

The three of us set off along the A419 towards Cirencester in a single line. Traffic blurring past us we hit 70mph for the 4 miles or so to the Cirencester turn off. Following signs to Tetbury and Stroud, we quickly passed around the outskirts of this proud Roman town.

Turning right at the top of the hill, we rode a fantastic road out to Stroud. Once in Stroud, we saw signs to Magistrates Court and then signs for Pony Club.

Our plan was to meet Jasons wife there to see how she got on with Smartie her horse. Down some single track roads, we met a rather irate farmer who was struggling to get his tractor out of his field and seemed to be blaming the cars and trailers that we patiently waiting for him to do his stuff. Anyway, after nearly destroying his own gate, he cleared the way for us to pass.

Heather, Jason’s wife, and Smartie, that’s the horse, made 4th place! Jason was apparently now on a promise!

From this rather pleasant field, we somehow followed the single track road back into Stroud and turning left headed to Daglingworth. Pub was shut here, so we went to the Bell at Sapperton for a coffee. Very very nice place. Its my wedding anniversary later this month so I might bring Sally here for dinner.

Leaving Sapparton we followed Jason back to Cirencester, where I took the lead and after taking a wrong turn (when is a turn ever wrong?), we headed back to Cricklade just in time to find my family finishing off Sunday lunch!

Great ride with a great couple of mates! Some very narrow roads, downhill and gravelly. Wide variety and challenging too. Definitely, for me at least, a case of not being lost, just not knowing where I was!